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Charles Mabika,Special Correspondent

And oh, what a disastrous campaign it turned out to be for the Warriors of Zimbabwe after an impressive qualifying campaign to reach the finals. is for African Cup of Nations finals tournament that was hosted by Egypt in June.

Never has so much disharmony and animosity existed between the Warriors players and the ZIFA leadership over a bonus dispute and more that it left a sour taste in every fan’s mouth. It was no surprise that the Warriors were booted out in the group stage.  It was a campaign best forgotten.

B is for “Big Three” of local football —CAPS United, Dynamos and Highlanders — who will know that the standards that they set in total four decades and more ago have dismally deserted them.

The Green Machine faltered in the championship race on the very last day; Bosso struggled during the opening and middle months of the season, but did, however, salvage some lost pride by winning the Chibuku Super Cup, whilst DeMbare finished with no silverware at all.

Can we expect to see the reincarnations of the three giants’ legends like Joel “Jubillee” Shambo, Stanley “Sinyo” Ndunduma, Shacky “Mr Goals” Tauro, Alois Bunjira, Stewart “Shutto” Murisa (CAPS United), George “Mastermind” Shaya, Ernest “Nyamuzihwa” Kamba, Moses “Bambo” Chunga, Sunday “Mhofu” Chidzambwa, David “Yogi” Mandigora (Dynamos); Peter, Adam and Madinda Ndlovu, Alexander “Cool Ruler” Maseko, Titus “Yellowman” Majola and Douglas “British” Mloyi (Highlanders) maybe in 2020?

Their multitude of fans will certainly hope so, so that they can regain that traditional supremacy.

C is for COSAFA tournaments where all our men’s and women’s national teams which used to make this event “personal property”, performed below average.

Save for the Mighty Warriors bronze medal in South Africa this year, it was a lifeless show by the Warriors and a nauseating inability by ZIFA to enter some of the junior men’s and women’s teams into the regional tournament.

D is for Hamid “Muzukuru” Dhana, the mercurial midfielder who had a spring in his step and a cultured left foot, who passed away after a brave and long battle with colon cancer. Here was a legend who could make the ball “walk”, “roll”, “talk or anything that he wanted.

From his humble roots at Arcadia United, Dhana moved to Dynamos and also starred for the Warriors, and was a sworn Liverpool fan, and will definitely join the victory celebrations at Anfield at the end of the season (if the Reds go on to win the title) from his special place high above.

We also lost two young and promising players — Flame Lily’s Raphael Kawondera (Jnr), who was the twin brother of ex-Triangle skipper Ralph and Blue Jets’ Ngonidzaishe Murisa, younger brother to the CAPS United legend, Stewart “Shutto” Murisa.

E is for the excitement that gripped the soccer fraternity as the Premiership race between CAPS United and FC Platinum went right down to the wire where it was decided on the very last day. Now this is what this beautiful game should be all about.

F is for fans, the “real owners of the game” who dug deeper once more all year round into their pockets, week in, week out to support their teams and immortalise their icons. Without them, the football world would certainly be deflated. Hence, we steadfastly salute you all.

G is for goals (or once again, lack of them) in the just-ended top flight’s season.

When our leading  goalscorer then (Clive “Nyama”  Augusto) left Chicken Inn to play in South Africa’s Absa Premiership in June and still won the Top Goalscorer of the Year award in December with those 14 finishes he had accomplished before he left, isn’t this a dismal down trend for our top flight league’s front runners? Surely it is. What has happened to that breed of predators in the mould of Peter “Thunderboots” Nyama of Chibuku Shumba, who cracked in 62 goals in the 1970 season; Shacky “Mr Goals” Tauro (CAPS United), who always racked in a 25-plus harvest from 1979 to 1984; Moses “Bambo” Chunga (Dynamos), who scored 46 goals in 1986 and Adam “Adamski” Ndlovu (Highlanders), who banged in 34 goals in 1991. The last player to score more than 20 goals in a season was Gunners’ striker Norman “Lumumba” Maroto, who scored 22 goals in 2010.

H is for the history that was made when, for the first time in our top flight league, the two championship chasers (CAPS United and FC Platinum) clashed on the very last day, with both of them having an equal chance of walking away with the title. It was also the first time ever that two teams (Dynamos and Herentals) ended the season with the same number of drawn matches (17). And The Students director and veteran striker, Innocent “IB9” Benza, broke his own record that he had set a year previously of being the oldest player in the Premiership to score after he bagged the second goal in his side’s 3-2 victory over Hwange at the Colliery towards the end of the season.

I for idols. And the nation’s idols this year were the Castle Lager Soccer Stars of the Year — Joel Ngodzo, Ralph Kawondera, Prince Dube, Ariel Sibanda, Evans Katema, Phineas Bamusi, Ian Nekati, Clive Augusto, King Nadolo, Wellington Taderera and Never Tigere; and winning coach Joey “Mafero” Antipas.

J is for junior development. For how long will our football leaders continue to ignore the importance of “getting them while they’re still young”?

However, youth academies like Nigel Munyati’s and Marc Duvillard’s Aces Youth Academy and Bheki Nyoni’s BN Academy and the country’s biggest boys’ and girls’ mixed youth development tournament — the Mai Hondo Memorial Tournament — should be applauded for leading from the front this year.

K is for Knowledge Musona, the Warriors skipper and Anderlecht forward who has certainly divided a soccer-crazy nation this year about whether he is still needed or not in the senior national team’s set-up?

The upcoming remaining 2021 AFCON and upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers will certainly rekindle that debate between those in his corner and those urging him to throw in the towel.

L is for legends. We must be the only soccer nation that treats its yesteryear heroes like outcasts! I felt really nauseated at times during the year as I witnessed some overzealous gate marshals treat our retired legends with contempt and ignorance at entrances as they tried to enter various stadiums.

It’s long overdue that we need to co-opt some of these guys into our administrative structures and gain from their knowledge and experience for the betterment of our youths and upcoming players.

Anyone remember Ernest Kamba, David George, Stanley Chirambadare, Laban Kndi, Dumisani Mpofu, Josiah Nxumalo, Douglas Mloyi, Dennis Hlatywayo, Peter Manyara, Stewart Murisa, Charlie Jones, Charles Sibanda, Raphael Bakacheza, Carlos Max, James Takavada, Shaun Charters, Dumisani Sibanda, Misheck Chidzambwa, Steven Chisango, Alexander Maseko, Andrew Kadengu, Ephert Lungu, Clement Chisale, Stanford Mutizwa, Maronga Nyangela, Brighton Dzapasi, Twyman Ncube, Collsen Mabeza, Innocent Musapenda, Tendai and George Chieza?

M is for Willard Manyengavana, the hard-working and charismatic former Northern Region Soccer League boss who shockingly passed away in July.

Here was a dedicated administrator who had driven the country’s second tier league into one of the most modern and efficiently run entities in the region.

The lieutenants he left behind — Martin Kweza and Sweeney Mushonga — have ably accepted the baton with aplomb as they continue with his high-flying capabilities and legacy.

N is for Marvelous Nakamba, the Warriors midfield dynamo who really didn’t make an impact at Egypt 2019, but had already convinced English Premiership side Aston Villa, that he was tailor-made for that tough environment and they duly signed him despite the Warriors’ debacle at the AFCON tournament.

“The Black Pearl” has already acquired many followers at Villa Park and is destined to continue shining in 2020.

O is for officials, the referees who attracted attention for all the wrong reasons this season.

There were disgruntled voices — even from within their own house — about the enrolment, promotions and more at the referees’ body, and we all wait to see if that centre of fairness will be able to give us other refereeing legends in the mould of Felix Tangawarima, Paul Pretorius, Frank Valdemarca, Wilfred Mukuna, Brighton Mudzamiri, Tendai Bwanya or Andrew Pamire this coming season.

P is for promotion into the top flight league. That honour went to the following champions from the four regional divisions: “The Hurricanes” (Cranborne Bullets), “Chekera Pasi” (WhaWha), “Amakhosi” (Bulawayo City) and “Chauya Chikara” (Tenax).

Q is for questions that are still lingering as we wind up the year, e.g, When will all our junior teams be entered for regional, continental and international competitions by ZIFA. What plans does PSL boss Farai Jere have for the Premiership for next season?

Who will be the next substantive Warriors head coach?

R is for Rudo “Sniper” Neshamba, the Mighty Warriors and Harare City Queens sharpshooter who combined her precision targets with a graduation in Media Studies as she realised the importance of life after football.

Another great player who excelled off the pitch was Chicken Inn’s veteran midfielder Clement “Naughty Flea” Matawu, who graduated with a Bachelor of Sports Science degree. Way to go guys!

S is for “Sugar Sugar Boys” Triangle United who held a whole nation spellbound as they ably represented the country in the Caf Confederation Cup and were so unfortunate to bow out at the last step of the group stage.

Led by hard-working and only female soccer president in the country, Adelaide Chikunguru and gaffer Tau Mangwiro, the Lowveld-based side also finished in the Top 8 of the Premiership standings and will be surely geared up for another exciting season.

T is for Tino Kadewere, the young and national Warriors forward who turned heads and defenders in France’s Ligue 2 division with some awesome performances and delightful finishes for his side Le Havre and has attracted the attention of various top European sides.

The man who calls himself “Monya For Hire” (after his local idol, former Dynamos utility player Murape Murape), is destined for France’s top flight division or the English Premiership and the Italian Serie A pretty soon.

U is for Unity. It was absolutely fantastic to see the whole nation come together in  “times of need”, e.g., during the men’s and women’s junior and senior national teams’ matches.

V is for violence. This ugly monster once again breathed fire and brimstone at some of our stadiums this year. We will keep reminding some unruly elements — players included — within our midst to celebrate with delight after their team’s win and also learn to accept defeat with grace.

W is for World Cup 2022 scheduled for Qatar and NOW is the time for all stakeholders to start preparing for this world jamboree.

Remember, that we didn’t compete in the 2018 showpiece in Russia, so we need to prepare swiftly for a bumpy ride to make it to the Promised Land.

Former Warriors ’keeper Bruce “Jungleman” Grobbelaar, who is also vying for the Warriors head coach’s post, is still adamant that with the right preparations, we can qualify for our first-ever World Cup finals appearance.

X is for  the “X factor” that is essential to improve our beloved game.

Everyone of us has that noteworthy, special talent or quality to make our game reach the loftiest  of heights.

We have to speak out so that we can be heard and if you didn’t do so this year, please make sure that you exhale the “X factor” in you next year.

Y is for Young Warriors and Young Mighty Warriors (at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels) who are the backbone of our senior national men’s and women’s teams.

We need to support them in every way possible. Remember what the male Under-20s did in Zambia last year when they qualified for the Cosafa Cup final?

Z is for Zimbabwe Warriors.

Thank you guys for the “Operation Recovery” after that Egypt debacle as you raised the bar to excite us once again with that swashbuckling performance against Zambia’s Chipolopolo in the 2021 AFCON away qualifier in September.

Please keep the Zimbabwe flag flying high next year and beyond.